June 6: The Power of Your Words

 Theme: Speaking of life and encouragement

Sarah Bevans
Shepherdess CIC
George Town SDA Church

Scripture: Proverbs 18:21

Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.

“Words are free; it is how you use them that may cost you.”

This proverbial saying resonates deeply with me as I reflect on the many instances where my words may have either built someone up or torn them down.

I recall my early years as a parent. I embraced motherhood with zeal, armed with tools handed down through generations—only to discover that my children were not cut from the same cloth. The tools I had inherited didn’t work for them. Each child came with their own unique "assembly instructions" and required different approaches. I soon realized that I needed to unlearn to learn, and in doing so, I had to adapt to each child's specific needs. This is the power and humility of motherhood.

One of the most important lessons I quickly learned was that my words held power to build or to destroy.

With my firstborn, a simple look, nod and a frown—was enough to communicate my disapproval. She understood without me having to say a word. But this method didn’t work with my other two children. With them, words were necessary. And how I used those words made all the difference— “deal or no deal,” so to speak.

I noticed that my second child was particularly sensitive to words and environments. Even if she wasn’t being directly spoken to, if the atmosphere around her became tense or people were unkind—whether in the classroom, at play, or with siblings—she would become distressed. This affected not only her mood but also her health. I found that she thrived—academically, emotionally, and physically—when she felt safe, affirmed, and surrounded by joy. This realization caused me to reflect on the tools I needed to equip her with so she could become her best self.

Let me share some of those tools with you:

1. Pour out to others what you wish to receive in return.
   While not always reciprocated, this principle, when practiced, cultivates a heart that gives love instead of waiting only to receive it. Speak kindly.
   → “Do to others as you would have them do to you.” – Luke 6:31 (NIV)
2. The words we speak to our children shape the adults they become.
   We often invest in building businesses, careers, and reputations, yet unknowingly tear down the very foundation of our legacy—our children. The best inheritance you can leave them is good mental health and a strong moral compass.
   → “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.” – Proverbs 18:21 (NKJV)
3. Speak identity and purpose over your children.
   Remind them who they are in Christ—not who the world says they are. Speak truth over their identity. Call out the gifts you see in them.
   → “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born, I set you apart.” – Jeremiah 1:5 (NIV)
4. Correct with love, not shame.
   Discipline is necessary, but it should guide, not crush. Correction is more effective when it's rooted in love and affirmation.
   → “Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.” – Ephesians 6:4 (ESV)
5. Pray over them and with them daily.
   Words spoken in prayer over our children are seeds planted for their future. When they hear you pray, it also builds their spiritual confidence.
   → “The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” – James 5:16 (NIV)
6. Model forgiveness and grace in speech.
   Let your children hear you apologize when necessary. This teaches humility and shows that healing begins with honest, grace-filled conversation.
   → “Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.” – Colossians 4:6 (NIV)

As I continue to learn the lessons God is teaching me through parenthood, I now find myself in the final stage of child-rearing—raising a teenage boy in a complex, 21st-century world. A generation so advanced, yet so desperate for a sense of identity and purpose.

Each day, I ask God to pour into me the right words—words that can build up this child and speak strength into his very bones, shaping him after God’s own heart. → “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” – Proverbs 22:6 (KJV)

What are the tools you've gathered from your own motherhood journey?
I challenge you to share them with someone who may be struggling—someone who needs to hear that there is hope, and there is power in the words we speak.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, help me to understand the power of my words. Grace my lips with words that speak life to those You have placed in my care, especially my children and family. Help me build them up, not tear them down. Forgive me for the times I’ve failed, and heal the wounds caused. I surrender my tongue, my parenting, and my heart to You. Amen.